Appendix D - Public Consultation Process In Support of PNL Name Town Helen Norris Leavesden N Campbell Watford James Tuck Watford Penny Franklin Abbots Langley Mrs C Quinton Abbots Langley Martin Bragg Watford Susan Oxlade Watford Mike Leslie Herts Ross Hall Watford Myrtle Crawley Watford Kerry Coen Watford Vivienne O'Brien Leavesden Tony Barton Croxley Green Anthony Mansell Watford Dudley Edmunds Andrew Blake Herts Jeff Devine Buntingford Anne Hayward Hertford Roberto Ruggeri Herts Dinah Chaffin Watford Marilyn Yarnold-Forrester Stevenage Neill Duke Herts Mre R Evans Aston H.Del Ponte Garston Judy Howlett Hitchin Siobhan Watford Helen Ward Watford Martin Attfield Herts Steve Miles Watford John Davis Harpenden Ray Jones Herts Phil Clark Abbots Langley Mary Greer Welwyn Garden City Neil Farrer Herts Alan Goodridge Watford Roy England Watford Karen Green Herts Modification Request Suggestions Name Town Tim Cosgrove Herts Councillor Sara Bedford on behalf of residents of Abbots Langley Abbots Langley On behalf of residents - Nascot Wood, Watford Watford Shirena Watford Mark Jacob Watford Barbara Higgs Watford Bill Twynham Bishop Stortford Dave Allen Herts S Whyment Bengeo Miss M Rose Herts Pauline Stilges Letchworth Alan Kerby Watford Ann Murray Herts D.C Warner Herts Danuta Nott Herts Francesco Anselmo Herts Bill Stephens Watford Sue Hill Watford Grant Wray Watford Anthony Jackson Garston Pam Harvey Abbots Langley Margaret Whitmore Watford Chris Owen St Albans Sonia Shirley Herts Kim Middleditch Sawbridgeworth Keri Jordan Watford G Woodley Herts Chris Keane Oxhey Shona Murray-Smith Hitchin Tim Williams Watford Zoe Ashley Bushey Paul Collins Hertford William Allen Hemel Hempstead John George Letchworth Garden City Michelle Kleinman Hertsmere Michelle Kleinman Hertsmere Pauline Kennedy Hertford Dr John Morris-Smith Brian Pegrum Cheshunt / Hoddesdon Catherine Thompson Croxley Green Against PNL Name Town Irene Lawford Abbots Langley Andrew and Elaine Green Bushey Abigail Smallworth Herts Bernadette Swain Bushey Su Strous Herts Geraldine Mitchell Herts Martyn Tott Herts Ali Gibb Herts Allan Cook Hitchin Kerry O'Donnell North Watford Helen Campbell Watford Dolores Conville Herts Bruce Knight Watford Michelle West Hemel Hempstead Derek Hillier Herts Mr M Press Watford Stefano Ruggeri Herts Kay Atkins Watford Rosemary Stevens Herts David Geraghty Watford Alison Grant-Davey Herts Susan Field Oxhey David Woods Watford Cheryl Blake Watford Nicola Bradley Harpenden Sue Alford Sue Alford Jane Slatter Watford Sean Elstob Welwyn Garden City Sandra Robinson Herts K Gray Hertford Paul S Taylor Radlett Beatrice Collings Watford Martin King Herts Andrew King Mrs M. Wishart Herts Mrs M. Wishart Herts Michael Wood Bishop Stortford Malcolm Trotter Kings Langley Miss S J Chambers Hemel Hempstead Emails between Mike Clark (Parish Councillor) and Councillor Mark Mills-Bishop Duncan Lewis Welham Green Christine Holland Borehamwood Carole Anstey Borehamwood Comments When considering your review on the street lighting policy I would like you to note I am very happy with the County Council decision to turn off a percentage of the street lights in my road. My years of insomnia were virtually cured within days of my home no longer resembling a yellow version of Watford football stadium all night long. Apart from saving energy, there are other benefits too - the traffic now having to be more reliant on their headlamps proceed through the village much slower than before and therefore, are quieter overall on the speed humps. Locally I feel most of the objections are from those areas where all of the lights are turned off at midnight. This has not happened here so there is still enough light from the remaining lights for safety. I should like you to know that I am fully in support of the existing hours for the switch off of Street Lights as this helps to minimise greenhouse gases at a time when very few people would benefit from the lighting. I am writing to state my support for the practice of switching off street lighting in Residential Areas after midnight. I've never been convinced of the efficacy of the blanket policy of providing lighting at all times in all areas. Very few people are traveling between midnight and dawn and those that do tend to use their own transport equiped with built in lighting (Cars and bikes, etc). If anything I subscribe to the view that street lighting can be detrimental to road safety as it can create a false sense of security in both the road user and pedestrians. Unless street lighting is so very bright that it does in fact provide a light level comparable with daylight it will still be quite dark and dark obstacles or people in dark colours will still be almost invisible until quite close. This leads pedestrians to take risks crossing roads as they think they can be seen when they can't and motorists to travel at excessive speed because they incorrectly believe their visibility is as good as it is at night. So making an area 'properly dark' will encourage people to behave with greater caution. The security argument is similarly weak. The only time my property was broken in to was during the hours the street lighting was operational and this was a similar experience to other people I know who have suffered break ins some of whom were broken into during daylight hours. If money is to be spent in the pursuit of home security I think it would be better spent encouraging people to put better locks on doors, windows, side gates and garages, etc. Burglars target weakly defended properties that are obviously empty and secluded from the road so a street light on the road will not deter them. But a property with a security light and a light(s) inside connected to a timer will be a less attractive prospect especially if the burglar has to get past several strong locks. If the area is dark it will also be difficult to work in. Lighting throughout the night also interupts sleep patterns for humans and animals. There is much research to suggest a human deprived of a decent nights sleep is as dabgerous on the road or operating machinery as one that is drunk. Making it easier for people to stay awake through out the night will not assist here. I live in Kindersley Way, Abbots Langley. I understand that a review of turning off street lighting in most residential roads at midnight in Abbots Langley has been scheduled for early October. I think this has been a very successful venture and would like it to stay in place, especially in my road. From a financial point of view, it is now starting to save funds. It seems ridiculous to spend more money on removing the switch on/off mechanisms that have been fitted to the lamp posts. From a personal view point....along with many neighbours (and friends living elsewhere in the village)... I enjoy the lower light levels after midnight. Of course, there is never total blackness as lights are left on in some houses, lamp posts continue to stay lit on busy roads and there is a lot of light reflected from the M25. It is so lovely to enjoy the night sky and the stars on a clear night. This is so much harder to do with street lighting. We have a lamp post outside our house and that light and glare has gone after midnight and night time now has a greater calmness and tranquility which we definitely prefer. Local people have now become used to the lights being switched off at midnight and learnt to adjust to the change or take a torch with them if intending to return home after this time. I ask that you will add my opinion to those in favour of keeping things as they are now. I feel strongly that you should continue to turn off street lights in areas where they are not needed all night. It seems that it is very wasteful of energy to leave them on in residential areas, except at junctions and corners where there are safety issues. The money saved could be put to greater use elsewhere. There are some who say that the streetlight switch-off policy saves money, energy etc. That may be so, but I say this: that unneccessary lighting is a form of bullying and oppression and that the darker our nights should be the better. Keep 'em off! If this is saving money, I find this quite acceptable, providing main roads and bus-routes are lit, and also public foot-paths and areas such as shops. Seeing your report in the Libdem news letter re whether or not to turn the street lamps back on over night or turn them of at 12am, question still remains as follows :- 1) Has turning the light off over the past two years saved council money? 2) Has turning the light off raised crime ratings ? 3) Has the general public raised another concerns over the past two years? My personal view, I would like to see street lamps turned off at 12am, because I have a streetlight right outside my bedroom window; because I do not see the point of having a light on when majority of people are at home and money saved can be better put to other road maintenance. So please keep the lights as status quo keep then turning off at 12am. I write in FAVOUR of the continued policy of switching off street lights in Watford. I do so for the following reasons: 1. There is substantially less light pollution after midnight as a result of the switch-off. This affords a much clearer view of the night sky, something we have lost touch with.